I ADORE these masks created by Isabelle Thibeault! Her whimsical Photography found on her blog harks to anthropomorphic fairytales and stories of delight! It would be very very difficult for me to chose just one, but perhaps you can find your own alter ego amongst her creations...

My favorite French blogger and dear friend Florizel tells me that the beloved Miss Clara has started a BLOG! Now we can indulge ourselves in the magic that Miss Clara creates on a regular basis! ENJOY!!!

Few can compare to the sublime taste and style of Eivlys in France! Her blog always makes me feel content and filled with inspiration. Just look at this CADRE AUX SOUVENIRS she has created from a lovely antique frame, (in a true french grey) chicken-wire and (my favorite) christmas tree candle holders as clips! So simple, and so SOPHISTICATED!!!

Here is another take on a stylish mood board, found on Esprit Champetre. Images of Marie, pinned onto a chair-back and then framed in gilded wood! Definitely Inspiring ~ and so easy!!!

Unfortunately I cannot remember where I found this last image, and I don't know if it is French... But it also has that "je ne sais quoi" quality that I adore! Don't you just love those enlarged postcard backs?!

How can one not fall in love with the work of Melanie Bourlon? She captures a delightfully french historical point of view in her Papier-mâché whimsies, that make me smile and wish for more! Just look at those beautiful and intoxicating shoes, delicious cakes and animals ~ dressed in historical finery or benevolently peering at us from afar... all created with such care we cannot help but fall in love!

From PARIS, Florizelle sends these lovely photos from the windows of the Van Cleef et Arpels shop, place Vendôme in Paris. They feature stunning cut paper by Susanne Kessler and Petra Eichler of Sounds Of Silence. Similar work was presented in 2005 as a walk-through installation.

"The installation works with the silent strength of the fragile. A forest clearing exchanges its familiar materiality and exposes its fragile and poetic side. Out of layers of white paper silhouettes, a natural landscape evolves. The visitors can move through the layers, but only slowly and carefully, otherwise the paper and the situation is torn apart. A light and sound collage immerses the space in a dawn-like atmosphere."

Thank you Florizelle for another breathtaking view of the City of Love!!!

Having recently seen an article about (and falling in love with) the home of French ceramist Jean-Baptiste Astier de Villatte, I was delighted to find his work for sale on line! Architect and decorator, Jean-Baptiste studied in the School for Interior Design in Lyon. He has a gallery with a permanent exhibition in Chinon (France), where he shows and sells his creations. I especially love his figural work; busts, dolls, and other wonderful treasures that have a lovely sensibility and simplicity and charm about them, that captured my heart immediately!!!

Recently Florizelle did an amazing post on Danish Fashion designer Violise Lunn! I was so captivated by it, that I felt she had found this designer just for me... Violise points her skills in two directions, designing high-end evening wear from stunning fabrics she has collected from around the world; and sculpting figure silhouettes, angels and her favourite theme of shoes from delicate papers. Allowing herself to divide her time between these two artforms, the usable and the useless, Violise Lunn lets them feed each other with inspiration. Their origin is the same – to permit dreaminess and the search for perfection. LOVELY!!!
(Thank you Florizelle for sharing divine inspiration yet again!!!)

"A stange and mysterious place to dream and create" is how Isabelle Strutz describes her new atelier that she opened in March! If the photos on her BLOG are any indication of her creativity and style, this is surely a place where magic and fairy-dust twirls in the air!!! Just look at the 'Cinderella lamp she found, and the wonderful 'Shepherdess' hat that she made. Her studio is filled with delights and whimsy where-ever one looks, demanding closer attention and making us wonder what else is hidden behind closed doors... I for one, would love to be a student in her delightful atelier, creating fairy crowns, jeweled bags of treasures and other amusements!!!!

Over the weekend I received an email saying simply "Please look at my sight" from Petra Werle. What a total delight!!! Just look at what Petra creates!!! She lives in Paris and makes her delightful creatures from Bread Dough, insect wings, and other natural elements. Her work is delightfully whimsical, full of color and very humorous! She describes her pieces as being: "A small theatre of life and love, grotesque and marvellous, carved in bread crumbs - Tasty!" Its amazing what personality and delight she can create from baguettes and insect wings... MERCI PETRA for sharing your vision with us!!!

Dearest Florizelle paid a visit to Paris designer Manon Gignoux this last week. Here she sends us these lucious photos of Manon's amazing fabric wreaths in the shopwindow's for 'Tresor' by rue du Trésor. Manon creates fashions, flowers, wrapped treasures, dolls and also photographs in her studio. Visit Florizelle's Blog for more wonderful photos and information on the breathtaking art of this artist!!!

With the Chinese New Year (2 /18 /2007) just around the corner, Florizelle brings us PETIT PAN, a delightful shop created in 1997 by Pan, a Chinese, offspring of a dynasty of kite-makers from the Shandong Province. In 2001, with the Belgian stylist Myriam De Loor, he has extended his offer to create children's clothing and colorful home accessories and furnishings. All the items are made in China, in traditional workshops, using out-of-fashion prints and sewing methods. Be patient and don't miss the 'photographic story' titled "L'univers". I just love all the colorful kites and that row of tiny little beds! Truly Charming!!!

Spring is just around the corner, and Florizelle tempts us with these beautiful photos of the shop les Fleurs 'passage de la bonne graine' (Passage of the Good Seed) a marvelous name, isn't it? They are not far from the Passage of the Golden Hand and the Emery & Cie shop, in the East of Paris. Their BLOG has been on my blog list for quite a while, so be sure and check it out! The cushions are from Les Bucoliques , photographic spring whimsy at your fingertips! ENJOY!

Some of you may remember my post back in April about my own Gypsy Childhood, and talk about 'Gypsy Caravans'! Well, Florizelle has just sent me some wonderful photos from France, of "roulottes" which she explains are very trendy today and used as rental B&B's in Provence and elsewhere for short stays. Passion Roulotte and Les Verdines are two such businesses who specialize in Romantic Holidays... I know I have posted about Jeanne Bayol before, but her wonderful site needs to be mentioned again here, while we travel gypsy style! Jeanne even has a BOOK out now to tempt our wandering souls! Gather your skirts girls, we are going on an adventure...

Florizelle sends us these wonderful photos from the boutique A La Bonne Renommee, 26 rue Vieille du Temple! Once again, the French do 'style' like no one else, here playing Gypsies with colors and textures any free soul would appreciate! THANK YOU FLORIZELLE!

True to her promise Florizelle continues to share her wonderful PARIS finds with us here!!! Today she gives us photos of Carouche, a new shop in the East of Paris, which is very representative of a new trend: la "brocante industrielle". They sell books published by "Editions Jeu de Paume" and beautiful linens by the fabulous team known as Atelier LZC. Eyecandy for all of us!!!